Cherry Creek Psychology, Dr. Maximillian Wachtel

I recently noticed that a chiropractor in my building has an interesting question written on some of her marketing materials: If your spine were on your face, would you take better care of it?

It is a witty question, but it also underscores  a fundamental truth about humans: we are a fairly vain species. We like looking good, and we tend to feel better about ourselves when we are seen by others as attractive.

With that in mind, you should be aware that anxiety can cause some significant problems for your face. For example, the stress reaction in your body causes the release of a chemical called cortisol. Cortisol is responsible for causing your skin to release oil, which can then lead to an increase in acne.

One recent study has found that teenagers who are under high levels of stress are 23% more likely to have a serious acne outbreak than teenagers who are not stressed. Although not quite as dramatic, adults have similar issues. The more stressed you are, the more likely you are to have acne.

One other potentially bad effect from cortisol: it causes hair loss. I have first-hand experience with this symptom (well, not exactly first-hand…). About two years before we had to put him down, we found out that our dog, Pete, had a tumor growing on his adrenal gland. One of the problems associated with that tumor was that it caused his body to release excessive amounts of cortisol. He almost immediately started losing fur in small clumps, and by the end, the poor little guy was about half-bald.

So, to summarize, stress and anxiety can not only have serious negative effects on your mood and your internal physical health, but they can also make you look pretty bad on the outside.

I see this as one more reason to take good care of your emotional health: you don’t want to wear your emotions on your face.

Thanks for reading– Max Wachtel, Ph.D.
www.cherrycreekpsychology.com
maxwachtel@cherrycreekpsychology.com